


Possibilities

by Mu2



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Betrothal Necklace (Avatar), Courtship, F/M, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Minor Angst, No Beta, Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sokka getting his man, but they're trying, everyone is terrible at being adults, its atla and the gaang, so there are shenanigans, we die like the cabbage man, which I can relate to
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:54:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24605005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mu2/pseuds/Mu2
Summary: Sokka was a tactician, warrior and a respected non-bender, who also happened to be friends with both the Avatar and Firelord. He was respected and admired by many, a future chief and leader.He was also nursing the biggest crush on the Firelord and maybe perhaps wanted to give him a betrothal necklace... but no one could know.Well, except for Katara, Aang, Toph, Suki, his Gran-Gran and Pakku... and anyone who met Sokka.***AKA Sokka's journey to becoming the Firelord consort!!
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Kanna/Pakku (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Zuko/Oc
Comments: 20
Kudos: 246





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome!!!! This is a fluffy fic because I adore any betrothal necklace fanart and couldn't resist writing this!

The betrothal necklace was not common for the Southern Water Tribe. This was evident when it was revealed that the necklace that Katara wore, from their mother and Gran-Gran, was their Gran-Gran’s betrothal necklace. 

Sokka had enquired about in more depth whilst they were at the North Pole, mainly due to Yue being engaged and wanting to know more about it. More about _why_ she was engaged, arranged marriages, and if you could get out of one. 

According to what Sokka heard Gran-Gran’s leaving to the South Pole was the most sensible way to break such an engagement. Which, to Sokka at least, was ridiculous.

During their travels Sokka often contemplated, whilst looking to Yue in the sky, about betrothals and who he may carve a necklace for. At first, he spoke about carving one for Yue, how he would add the moon spirit to the pendant, and how he would improve his skills.

Most often than not he had to hide his attempts at carving and whittling from the rest of the gang, or as was coined later, the Gaang.

Each town they visited, when he could, he would venture the markets to see the styles of carving and how to better his own skill. Many master crafters were willing to talk to him, look at his current attempts and give advice on what he could improve on.

They advised that circular shapes would need references, use something the size and shape he wants, trace it onto the surface and work from there. Holes should be made smaller than expected at first, he could make the shape or size larger later but couldn’t make them smaller.

After meeting Suki and travelling with her he thought on how to craft a miniature fan, reminiscent of the Kyoshi Warriors. 

These thoughts persisted for a time but started to change during their time apart. Especially when Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation, offered to help him find his dad. 

Standing in that cell with Suki he remembered how it _felt_ to want to make the small Kyoshi fan for her and was disappointed to realise that it wasn’t the same anymore. He had changed in their time apart.

Thoughts of flames and dual dao swords soon filled his thoughts. How would he get the shape right, the curve of the flames and swords? Would the Blue Spirit Mask be more appropriate for the prince?

Sokka wanted to better understand Zuko, so he did what any self-respecting swordsman would do, he challenged the firebender to a match. When he outlined the rules, he made sure to mention that it was a spar, not a duel, or anything remotely resembling the Agni Kai’s of the Fire Nation.

Zuko acquiesced to the spar with him, and Toph and Aang cleared a space for them to face off at the beach on Ember Island. 

The sand was something neither sword user was used to, the texture of it changing from wet to dry. Very easily one of them may injure themselves if they put a foot wrong. This only served to make the spar more interesting for them both.

Zuko went about fighting the same was he did about firebending. His movements were fluid, there was a rhythm to his steps and there was evidently some sort of planning for each step. That’s not to say there was a plan for Zuko to win, Sokka planned big picture, and Zuko evidently planned in stages.

Altogether it wasn’t that surprising when they ended in a draw, one dao to Sokka’s throat and Sokka’s sword to Zuko’s gut.

The spar didn’t tell Sokka much in the long run, but the resulting ones did. Each time they sparred in a different location, testing their boundaries and skills.

The idea for what to carve can later, much later. After the war ended, Zuko saved Katara from his sister, Aang was finally safe from the Fire Nation because Zuko was now the _Firelord._

*** 

Each year the Gaang organised a two week get together. Last years had been Aang’s choice, and since he was trying to get on Hakoda’s good side they had spent it at the Southern Water Tribe. Zuko had come with gifts for the Tribe, scrolls containing answers and closure for the families of the missing waterbenders. He also arrived with skilled labourers and officials prepared to start trade with the Tribe.

To say that Hakoda was impressed with the young Firelord was an understatement.

For the two weeks, though it was meant to be a time for relaxation and the Gaang, Zuko spent most of it in Hakoda’s rooms with each of their officials to start trade agreements. Families were given hand delivered scrolls detailing how their missing waterbenders were treated and how the Fire Nation, how _Zuko_ , wished to make reparations. 

There were offers of money, memorials, for them to visit the sites where their family and friends were kept in the Fire Nation. Most asked for the money to be put into a fund to put a stop to trafficking of benders and help those who had been taken away from their homes. 

Zuko graciously didn’t tell them that he had already set up such a fund and force, and that was why he even had the scrolls and details of their loved ones in the first place.

He sat with each family, listened to their worries and stories, even shared some of his own.

Zuko arrived a war hero and left as an honorary tribesman of the Southern Water Tribe. Aang had arrived the Avatar and had left as the darling of the Tribe, beloved by all grandmothers and children. Hakoda had begrudgingly been impressed how the Avatar dealt with baby-sitting duty and the tasks issued by the Elders.

This year was Katara’s choice and given that Gran-Gran and Pakku were to be officially wed, now that both Tribes had been rebuilt, both physically and their relations with one another, they were headed for the Northern Water Tribe.

Toph bemoaned that she wouldn’t enjoy the two weeks away as all there was in the North was ice. The South at least had some land underneath it to assist her. Suki similarly did not wish to go to the North, it was cold and those of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation weren’t used to such climates.

However, Zuko, the epitome of the Fire Nation peoples, did not complain. He merely requested that there be a delivery from the Northern Tribe of appropriate wear, made extra warm for firebender physiologies, and kept quiet about any complaints. Part of that order was also delivered to those who would attend with Toph and Suki, as well as clothes for the girls themselves.

All round Zuko was earning brownie points. From the Northern Water Tribe because he was respecting their trade, similar for the Southern Water Tribe, and from the others in their group who weren’t used to the cold.

Sokka appreciated that they were headed North, he’d wanted to ask Pakku for advice on carving. 

***

It took three days up North for Sokka to be caught with the pendent. Granted, it was by his Gran-Gran who wouldn’t tell on him, but he’d still tried to hide his panic at being found carving.

She took the pendant from his shaking hands and appraised the work. “This is the correct stone for the pendant Sokka. Not like your other projects.” The words were quietly said, filling the small space between them.

Sokka had been a man for a whilst now, he’d been in war and in battle, been recognised now that his age had caught up with his responsibilities. Never had he felt so small, even during the raid he’d lost his mother.

“No,” He choked out. “No, it’s not like the others.”

Worn hands cupped his own and returned the pendent. “What are you going to use for the choker?”

He reached into his bag an pulled out a Fire Nation robe. Zuko had leant it to him the last time he had acted as an ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe. The luggage of the esteemed friend of the Firelord and Avatar has been the unfortunate victim of a spar between said friends. Aang accidentally pushed it with a misplaced burst of air, and his later redirection of Zuko’s flames had cause the luggage to combust.

There was nothing of note or value in it, Sokka and the rest of the Gaang knew to carry what was precious on them. Weapons, scrolls and anything else that mattered to them was kept on their person.

Unfortunately, this meant that Sokka had no other clothing to wear during the ambassadorial visit. Taking pity on him Zuko had offered for a new wardrobe to be made and kept in the Palace for whenever Sokka would visit.

The robe that Sokka pulled out to show his Gran-Gran was a gift from Zuko, one that they’d picked up on a trip into the city, disguised badly as regular citizens. They’d passed a vendor promoting his silken wares, Sokka however has been attracted to a leather cuffed robe, not fit for either of the Pole’s temperatures, but warm enough for a winter in the Fire Nation. 

Noticing his interest Zuko had already handed the required sum and collected the robe before Sokka could protest.

Kindly, the vendor spoke of how the leather cuffs were specially treated so as not to catch fire, perfect for beginning firebenders learning how to use their gifts. All the edging of the robe was made from the leather, and Sokka had thought to use the burgundy material for the body of the necklace. 

Caressing the edging his Gran-Gran smiled, “Good choice, soft enough to wear and sturdy enough for an active warrior.”

Never had he ever felt so relieved to hear he’d made a good choice.

***

Pakku obviously knew. The next day he’d been snagged by the older man and escorted around the market space. Every few stalls Pakku pointed out materials, tools and techniques used for betrothal necklaces. How to check, especially for leather ones, that the material is soft enough to tie, but sturdy enough to remain tied properly to the neck.

It wasn’t very subtle, but the man told Sokka potential ways of asking Zuko to accept the necklace. Also, that he accepted the match, accepted Sokka’s decision in Zuko.

***

The thing was, he couldn’t do anything about the pendent when it was finished. To give it to Zuko in the North Pole wouldn’t be appropriate. And to give it in the South, where Sokka was the chiefs son and Zuko was so far from his home, that would also be inappropriate.

Usually those gifting and receiving the necklaces were in the same place, or from the same place, and didn’t have so much of a power imbalance between them. There were limited stories of someone gifting the necklace to someone outside of the Tribes, so Sokka didn’t have much to go on.

Aang found out though, of course he did. The Avatar was a free-spirited being and didn’t always use doors considering he could glide everywhere. He mainly used windows. Sokka suspected that Aang wanted to keep using windows for as long as he would fit in them. As it was Aang barely fit inside Sokka’s window, his height and muscle mass making for an awkward entrance.

Either way, Aang burst into his room, talking about Katara and wanting to respect traditions but not knowing whose to follow. The airbenders curious eyes immediately found the necklace in Sokka’s hands, he wasn’t carving or adding to it, just wanted to touch, and he froze.

Airbenders were naturally lively, though they promoted calm, unless they were meditating, they couldn’t stay still. Aang included. So, to see the younger man stock still, eyes intent on the necklace, Sokka felt that it wasn’t the airbender looking at it, but the Avatar.

Many didn’t understand the difference between Aang and the Avatar. They were the same person in a way, but the Avatar was more in a sense. It wasn’t his friend looking at him now, but the culmination of countless past lives as well.

It took a moment, but things evidently clicked in place in Aang’s mind, “You’re going to propose to Zuko.” Perhaps they clicked a little _too_ well.

“No, I’m not.” Sokka refuted, because he wasn’t going to.

Aang looked up to Sokka’s eyes, “There’s no other person who that pendent could be for Sokka.”

“I know, it’s for Zuko. But I’m not going to give it to him.”

Sometimes Sokka wondered if the airbenders were part bird of some sort, it would fit with their love of flying, and with Aang’s habit of cocking his head like he was an owl. “Why not?”

Aang moved to Sokka on his bed and sat on it cross legged, close to Sokka but maintaining a small distance. “Doesn’t he deserve it?”

“It’s not about deserving, its about him and Mai. Him being the Firelord. About _me_ deserving _him_.”

“Wait here, I’ll get Katara.” By the time Sokka reached for Aang he had lifted off the bed with a gust of air and was out of the room.

***

Katara had a way of simultaneously being the scariest person he knew, whilst also being his little kid sister he needed to protect. She was dangerous and powerful in her own right, but he knew that if Aang or anyone else ever did something to hurt her, he’d make whatever he did to them look like an accident. Bender or no, he’d make them wish they’d never met his sister.

That being said, she was still terrifying, especially so when sitting across from him on his bed, arms crossed and a scowl in place. The traitor, Aang, sat next to her, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she stewed after hearing why exactly Sokka wasn’t going to be giving Zuko the necklace.

“Who told you that?” She finally bit out, rage contorting her face. “Who told you that you weren’t ‘fit’ for the Firelord?”

The thing was, was that someone had. Sokka wished he could push it aside and say it was his own insecurities playing up, but he’d been warned off the Firelord good and proper. Just after Zuko and Mai had decided to take a break the last time Sokka had worked the courage to ask Zuko if he as willing to give he and Sokka a try.

It must have been obvious as one of the officials pulled Sokka aside, “I’m the celebrant official for our Firelord, and I must caution you against this action Ambassador Sokka. The Fire Nation needs and heir, and our Firelord cannot beget one from you as you are. You are also not of the proper stock for marriage into the royal family. I do not say this to be cruel Ambassador, only to provide council.”

That was all Sokka needed to hear, he hadn’t been back in the Fire Nation for some time since the talk that he’d had. The clothes that Zuko had commissioned were useless, waiting in the closet for someone who would never wear them. The turtleducks would never be fed again by Sokka and Zuko, as they laughed in the morning sun, bright and fresh for the day ahead.

The morning’s that Sokka spent with Zuko back then were special to the non-bender. He hadn’t been able to sleep, the stress of the upcoming meetings too much for him to handle. Every time he pictured himself speaking as the Ambassador he remembered being on the beach with his plans for the invasion, remembered how his father had had to lay the plans out. The meetings with the Firelord and the other officials of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom couldn’t be allowed to go similarly. Sokka was acting in a professional setting, and he needed to be able to pull through for his Tribe. 

So, he’d been outside walking in the early morning light and come across Zuko, not the Firelord but Zuko without his regalia, feeding the turtleducks. 

“I used to feed them with my mother.” Zuko rasped to Sokka, keeping his back to Sokka and remaining focused on the turtleducks.

Noticing what the other man was using to feed them Sokka commented, “I thought bread was bad for them? Like the equivalent of us eating fried food every day.”

He sat cross-legged beside Zuko as the man turned to look at him, eyes wide and scared. “Really? We – I – I didn’t know.”

“Oh, well, easy fix really. Cut grapes, cooked rice, cut lettuce, that sort of thing is better for them in the long run.”

After that they met there each morning of the month-long conference of meetings, feeding the turtleducks healthier alternatives to the bread Zuko had been feeding them. Soon enough it was routine for Sokka to stop by the kitchens in the morning to pick up their turtleduck feed and wonder over to the pond. Zuko set up cushions, blankets and other comfortable items for them to sit on as they spent their mornings together. Servants would bring out their breakfast then come to collect them when they needed to prepare for their meetings.

Soon enough they realised that it was easier to collect them both from the pond and take them to one room for getting dressed and ready. Screens were put up for their privacy, but it ensured that they could continue their conversations.

The servants kindly ignored how childish the young adults were during these conversations. They argued and debated about the use of Sokka’s boomerang against Zuko’s dao, bending and non-bending experience, and Sokka’s favourite, Zuko’s haircuts over the past decade or so. He maintained that the ponytail would have looked better if it had been like his own, Zuko responded with it being a Fire Nation fashion. Both ignored how the servants looked put upon when hearing the same discussion.

This continued for the duration of the meetings, their morning routine. It continued afterwards as well, whenever Sokka was in the Fire Nation. Acting as the Ambassador he was there quite a lot. The clothes that Zuko purchased for him saw a lot of use. Everything was fine, Sokka’s feelings were in check, until Zuko ordered a new wardrobe, one made of the Water Tribe blues used for Fire Nation style clothing.

Seeing the mix of the two Sokka had been decided, he was going to ask Zuko to consider being with him.

Those clothes had never been worn and probably still sat in the back of the closet in a back room of the Palace, never to see the light of day.

Just like the possibility of him and Zuko.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka is a dramatic boi. But so is Zuko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally finished an exam thirty minutes ago and have adrenaline in my veins. So any mistakes I attribute to that :D

If Katara was a firebender she’d be breathing fire, that’s how furious she was. As it was, the walls of Sokka’s room _wobbled_ , pulling toward the occupants on the bed, responding to Katara’s anger.

“So that’s what they said, you weren’t ‘proper stock’ for Zuko. I’m going to –“ 

“Nothing, Katara, you’re not going to do anything. It’s in the past and I am moving on.”

Both she and Aang looked at him incredulously, “You made a _betrothal necklace_ for him Sokka. That’s so far from the realm of _moving on_ as you could possibly get.” His sister snapped at him.

Seeing his expression, she visibly tried to calm herself, the walls stopped moving and she leant back against Aang. “How about this,” She began calmly, “You spend these weeks with Zuko, we celebrate Gran-Gran’s wedding and see how things go hmm?”

***

‘Things’ with Zuko were not going well according to Sokka. According to Katara, Aang, Gran-Gran and Pakku things were going swimmingly. Quite literally.

One of the first things young ones need to know, in either of the Pole’s, is what to do if you fall off your boat. How to preserve warmth and make sure you stay alive. The very first thing is knowing how to swim, and since the Firelord was perfect he’d volunteered to help and was keeping the water warm enough that they could practice for longer safely.

For a first introduction to swimming the children were being treated like kings and even they knew it.

When Sokka was taught, before he and Katara lost their mother, his father had taken him to a kiddy-pool safe enough to be taught how to tread the water. The water was freezing, his clothes dragged on his movements, and though his father was there it was a terrifying experience.

So, the children being in warm-ish water, warm enough to take their outer layers off and swim comfortably, was a luxury. 

Zuko was patiently allowing the children to use him as a climbing frame, clambering over the source of heat and playing with his hair. Sokka was busy helping the younger ones with their coordination in the water, trying not to focus on Zuko’s smile. 

Over in the larger pool were Katara and Aang, like Sokka and Zuko they were helping with the swimming lessons. However, unlike Sokka and Zuko neither were warming the water. And unlike Sokka and Zuko who were actively teaching the children, they were grinning like lunatics at Sokka.

Sokka was debating how upset his father would be if he returned an only child.

***

Hakoda himself arrived a day before the wedding. The North Pole was strewn with decorations and well-wishers for the upcoming nuptials.

Like Sokka, the South Pole chief wore his hair in the customary wolf’s tail, and wore appropriate clothing befitting his status as the chief. As his son Sokka’s were less embroidered but no less fine. 

Should either of them get married their spouses would have similar clothing with the same embroidery, symbols of their position and relationship shown on the garments. 

Though Zuko didn’t know it, most of the clothing he ordered from either Pole was purposefully designed to show that those who wore them were friends of the Pole’s, but outsiders. Zuko’s were designed to show that he was royalty from another nation, as well as showing that he was friend to both Pole’s, the Avatar and Sokka the son of the South Pole’s chief.

All of their clothing held meaning to it. From the cut, dye and embellishments, everything that made up their clothes had meaning. There was a reason for this, and Sokka thinks it makes his ancestors romantics; only people who are joined in a relationship will be able to exchange clothing.

Even when he and Katara were children they could not swap clothing, hers denoted that she was a waterbender (which the raiders could not tell by looking at her clothes) and that she was the daughter of the chief. His in turn showed he was training to become a warrior and was the son of the chief.

His mother and father were able to swap when his mother was alive. Though they each held different positions they were seen as the same person, connected souls. If Hakoda could not be found in body, they found his spirit in Sokka’s mother and vice versa. 

The same would happen when Gran-Gran would wed Pakku. They had designed their betrothal and matrimonial clothing to represent them both equally, and showed that Pakku was a master waterbender, and that his Gran-Gran was a healer and elder of the Southern Water Tribe. 

It would differ for them in comparison to Sokka’s parents though. His Gran-Gran would not be a stand-in for teaching young waterbenders, but the principle still stood, both would be equal in their marriage.

Once, very stiltedly Sokka had asked those from their group about the wedding traditions of their respective nations. The Earth Kingdom seemed to be a mix of the Fire Nation and Water Tribe’s. They had their fair share of arranged marriages for the wealthy, but generally married for love. Aang spoke only about the marriages he had seen as love matches. Zuko was the outlier for the group unsurprisingly. The Fire Nation was primarily made of arranged marriages, not love matches.

Before his great-grandfather Sozin, Zuko said, there were more love marriages, but afterwards they all but stopped for the upper elite of the Fire Nation. 

No one wanted to ask if Zuko had been in an arrangement before he’d become the Firelord.

***

The wedding went off without a hitch. Nothing went amiss and after the celebrations and recovery that everyone needed after said celebrations everyone went home.

Sokka spoke to Zuko the same amount/way. Both Katara and Aang wouldn’t stop staring when he and Zuko did speak. And he still felt warm after the hug Zuko gave him when they parted ways.

Everything was fine.

***

Everything was not fine. It was Sokka’s year to choose where they went, and he didn’t know where to go.

Aang had politely asked him not to choose any of the Air Temples due to reconstruction and rebuilding efforts. Both the Pole’s felt as though they needed a break from the collection of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation entourages that Toph, Suki and Zuko arrived with. 

It was either the Earth Kingdom (and Sokka felt that he wanted to avoid being on Toph’s home turf given that she had the choice the next year and would choose the Earth Kingdom) or the Fire Nation.

As Sokka was avoiding the Fire Nation you may see his predicament.

So, as Sokka penned the message to the Fire Lord, not Zuko, to request that he and the Gaang stay at the Palace, he was proud that his hand did not shake… much.

All arrangements were to be made at least eight months in advance, to ensure that where they visited was well prepared for the ensuing chaos of the Avatar and his friends. So, Sokka being the respectful future chief of the Southern Water Tribe, penned a message to the Fire Lord informing him of their intent to stay within the Fire Nation, but that he was under no obligation to put them up. 

Of course, the latter part was a lie. They all opened their own homes to the rest of the Gaang when they could and would visit. It was highly expected that Zuko open the Palace to them.

Given these facts it was a surprise to Sokka that his message was responded to not by Zuko but an official, who politely requested that the Gaang find accommodation outside of the Palace but close enough that _should_ the Fire Lord wish to visit them, that there weren’t risks in doing so.

When both he and Katara read, and then re-read the message, they felt as though they had the energy and rage of a thousand suns in their heads.

“How _dare_ he! We’re the ones who saved the world from Ozai and he wants us to stay _outside,_ two children of the Southern Water Tribe _chief_. We deserve at least a minor room if not that!”

This was agreed upon by both Sokka and Hakoda. It had been some months since they’d seen Zuko at the Northern Water Tribe, but neither could imagine him relegating Sokka’s correspondence to a mere official.

Together they all penned a new message, one for Zuko this time.

***

Again, the same official responded. No, they were not permitted into the Palace grounds, nor would they be guaranteed that Zuko would be free to meet with them when they arrived.

Arrangements had been made on their behalf to stay at an inn of the official’s choosing. They and their guards would be safe and secure there, and free to peruse the surrounding city if they so wished. 

And so, with his rage at being belittled by some random official, and with the agreement of his family, Sokka packed his travel bag and set off to give said official a piece of his mind.

***

Being angry at a nameless person was great in theory. It had fuelled most of his journey. He muttered fiercely as he adjusted his sails, when he caught fish and when he docked.

The muttering continued as he took small breaks and worked on small contracts or jobs for the towns and villages he passed through, earning coin and a place to sleep for the night. 

It lasted until he was entering the port of the city that housed the Fire Lord. 

When he saw the towering structures of the port and other ships, he paused to consider what he was doing. He’d made his way from the South Pole to yell at one of Zuko’s officials.

This would not make a compelling argument when he tried to enter the Palace with no proof as to who he was.

Any from either Pole would look to his clothes and hair and know who he was. Now however, in the heart of the Fire Nation, he was one more Tribesman who had ventured to the city.

“Morning,” That was a neutral way to start his conversation with the guard who would decide if he was allowed onto the Palace grounds, “I am Sokka, if possible I would like to talk to-“ 

The first guard laughed whilst the second looked resigned to his fate, “You’re the fourth this morning _Sokka_ , and the eighteenth this week. Pull the other leg and tell me why you’re really here.”

“But I am, Sokka that is. I’m here to speak with,” He checked the message he had been sent by the official, “Official Yao, our correspondence isn’t effective, so I wanted to speak to him in person.” He presented the stationary to the guards, who looked at the still attached seal with bewilderment.

“You’re Sokka.” The one who laughed breathed out, looking as though a brisk wind would tip him over.

“Yes. I am.”

“You’re here to see the Fire Lord.” 

“Well, not exactly-“ But it was too late, other guards were being yelled for to lead him into the Palace to see the Fire Lord at his earliest convenience. Everyone in the line-up to enter the grounds looked at him with awe.

Within the hour everyone in the nation would know that Sokka was there to visit the Fire Lord, unannounced and very suddenly.

***

The kind guards who were leading him to the Palace introduced themselves as Yi and Yuan. Both were light-footed and Sokka felt as though he were a badgermole next to them. They were also fleet footed and Sokka did a jog to keep up with them as they lead him to the Palace.

Officials seemed to be streaming past them, running toward the main hall, but since they didn’t ‘run’ as it wasn’t dignified, they ‘strode with purpose’. 

It looked like running to Sokka. But he’d never say that to any of the official’s faces. Well… maybe Yao’s face if he ever met with him.

When the guards knock on the main hall’s doors though Sokka reassesses if he himself wants to run. Preferably away.

They open suddenly, all the officials they’d seen on their way to the hall is in a bowed position, Zuko himself looks harried. Though firebenders woke with the sun that was a far cry from getting ready with the sun it seemed.

“Ambassador Sokka, representative of the Southern Water Tribe, future chief of the Southern Water Tribe and friend to the Avatar.” Yi announced into the hall, his words bouncing off the walls.

“Yes, thank you guard Yi, and Yuan. You are dismissed.” Zuko’s head official said.

Neither of the guards moved away from Sokka, despite the clear dismissal. Yi turned to him and whispered, “What’s your business with the Fire Lord today?”

To which, Sokka whispered back, “He’s not replying to my messages. Official Yao has and denied the Avatar the right to stay within the Palace for our yearly meetings. We wish to know why.” He hoped that was diplomatic enough and did not sound too informal a reason to show up unannounced to the Fire Lord’s residence.

“Ambassador Sokka has come to address the Fire Lord about correspondence with official Yao.” Yi announced to the room, then he and Yuan stationed themselves on either side of the door, motioning for Sokka to enter the hall.

“We welcome Ambassador Sokka to the Fire Nation, an apologise for the issue which has made you come all this way.” The head official intoned. 

Zuko stared at Sokka as he approached, clearly confused as to why he was there. 

“Yes, we welcome you Sokka, but I must ask why you were corresponding with Yao to begin with. I didn’t realise that you knew each other well enough to.” He darted a look to a young looking official half way down the line, the exact official who had warned Sokka off from pursuing Zuko. 

Yao looked up from his bow and addressed Zuko’s unspoken query, “We are not acquainted in such a way Fire Lord, I merely responded to messages meant to be addressed by the celebrant official.”

“Fire Lord Zuko, I originally wrote to you to request that the yearly meeting of the Avatar and their friends be held here in the Fire Nation. We have stayed here in the past, specifically within the Palace and had hoped we would be able to do so again. Official Yao responded that unfortunately that would not be permittable and we would need to stay within the city,” Sokka could see that Zuko looked shocked at what he was saying. 

“Collectively we did not protest to this, however, it was mentioned that a key member of the team would not be available for the duration of our stay, and as such we seek to remedy this. Together with the rest of the Avatar team we have decided that if needed we will push back or forward the dates for our other member to be able to participate. As such, we bring this matter to you the Fire Lord, for your consideration.” The bow he threw in at the end was a proud point for Sokka, he rarely bowed to dignitary or others due to his status and wanted to show Zuko that he held no grudge against him.

Every official was peeking at Sokka, Zuko and Yao, which looked quite odd given their still bowed positions.

“To clarify, Ambassador, you are here not to represent the Southern Water Tribe, but the Avatar and his team.” Zuko didn’t ask, he stated. 

“Yes, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“About the decision to meet within the Fire Nation, our capital no less, and have been denied staying within the Palace.”

“Yes.”

“To which you will agree to my official’s decision to house you within an inn but wish to ask for the leave of one of your team members.”

“Yes.”

“Everyone but official Yao and the Ambassador is to leave, now.”

In a flurry of robes the officials left quickly, striding purposefully past Sokka and out of the hall.

“Official Yao,” Zuko began, after the others had left them alone. “I understand that you are in charge of celebrations, but correspondence labelled for myself from Ambassador Sokka should always be given to me.” At this Yao nodded.

“Also, the Avatar and any of those identified as part of the Avatar’s team is welcome to their designated wing, hence why it is designated to them.” Another nod. Sokka did not appreciate the soft look which Zuko was giving Yao. “We can discuss our courtship timing later – “ 

“Courtship?” Sokka interrupted, and if he were anyone but a close friend to Zuko he knew he would have been punished. 

“Official Yao and I entered our courtship pact some time ago. When we usually have our meetups is when it comes to a close and we decide if we wish to proceed to marriage. If you and the others don’t mind, I would appreciate if we changed the timing.”

Sokka turned to Yao, “Did you make your suit known before or after you told me that I was unsuitable for Zuko?” He already knew the answer, that he’d lost, but he wanted to hear Yao admit it.

“What? What do you mean?” Zuko looked between Sokka and Yao.

“I do not –“ 

“Don’t lie to me. Did you start courting Zuko before or after you kindly _advised_ me that I was not to approach him?”

Shame-faced, Yao answered him, “After. I approached him after you left.”

“I apologise for the interruption Fire Lord Zuko, official Yao. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, I’ll ask the Avatar to continue with the correspondence for the meet-up. Thank you for your time.” With that he turned from both men and strode out of the hall.

“Sokka! Sokka wait!” 

The tears had already started, he couldn’t wait. Sokka had never really held to the standards that the world held for masculinity. If a man wanted to cry, he should be allowed, it was human to feel, and he was human.

“Sokka,” A warm dry hand grasped at his arm. He’d made it to the courtyard before Zuko had caught up to him, which was a feat in and of itself, Zuko was fast when he wanted to be. “Sokka, I didn’t know. What Yao did, it was – “ 

“I apologise Fire Lord Zuko, but I am not feeling well enough for this conversation.” His throat was already tight and sore, same with his face. “Please excuse me.”

Zuko clung to his pocket when Sokka wrenched his arm from his grasp, pulled at the material until it ripped, spilling its contents to the floor.

Amongst them was the necklace, beautifully blue and red, stark against the floor of the courtyard. 

Picking it up, along with the few coins he kept on him, Sokka turned to Zuko. “I was going to ask you if I could court you. After the last time with Mai. When we began spending the mornings together. The day before I left, I was pulled aside by official Yao and was told that I was not permitted to ask. Now I feel that I was, but that he wasn’t going to allow it.”

He showed the face of the pendent to Zuko. On the surface was carved small turtleducks, there were also the Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe emblems on either side of the column of turtleducks. In the beginning he considered just the emblems, then the turtleducks, and then a dragon or the Blue Spirit mask. Nothing seemed to fit, until the mornings he spent with Zuko.

It took time, and many false pendants, but he eventually figured out the correct design and scale for the small surface. 

“I built it up in my head, that one day I might ask you, but never had the courage to. I don’t begrudge you your happiness Zuko, but I do ask that you don’t make me see you marry him.”

Zuko’s hand reached out to touch the necklace, but Sokka put it away before he could. “The necklace can be seen by the intended, but not touched after rejected. I’ll let Aang or Katara know they should write to you. Goodbye Zuko.”

When his back was turned, more tears streaming down his face Zuko spoke, “I would have said yes if you’d asked Sokka.”

“I never took you for a cruel man Zuko!” Sokka was in his face now, poking at the Fire Lord’s chest. “I lay my heart out and you continue to bludger it. I’ve stepped aside, you cannot ask more of me Zuko, it’s too much!”

“Me cruel? You didn’t have the courage to ask me in the first place, and allow the possibility of _us_ to slip away and somehow, I’m cruel? Sokka I waited, I waited for so long and you only ask when I am about to commit to my pact.”

“I’m not asking though. I’m sharing my thoughts with my friend and hoping that he won’t make it harder on me to know that the man I love is marrying another. Even that I could have lived with, but not official Yao, not the man who ruined my dream.”

“What dream Sokka! You didn’t even try!”

“I _love_ you Zuko, and I’m stepping aside _because_ I do.”

“You don’t need to,” Zuko was holding his hand, the one that he’d been poking his chest with, caressing it. “It takes a month to dissolve a courtship pact. If you’ll allow it, I’d like you to come back after that, and _ask_ me, not step aside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question time with MU2: Any of y'all have exams rn? Genuinely curious about the current education systems around the world.

**Author's Note:**

> QUESTION TIME WITH MU: What type of bender or non-bender are you???
> 
> Also rip me my spacebar doesn't always want to work anymore :')


End file.
